This specification relates generally to techniques and systems for storing media streams, and specifically to a storage format for media streams.
Providers of online streaming content can offer their customers digital video recording (DVR) of various live media feeds. Examples of live media feeds are TV network programming or live events (concerts, ball games, etc.). A live media feed, such as the ones enumerated above, can be received by the online DVR provider and can be processed to generate a media streaming document. An often used document for storing audio and video streams has a container format and an MP4 extension, in accordance with the Moving Picture Experts Group-4 (MPEG-4) standard (e.g., ISO/IEC 14496-12). The generated media streaming document can be updated continuously during the duration of the live media event. Moreover, the generated media streaming document can be used to regenerate the received live media stream for streaming the regenerated media stream to one or more clients that requested the live media stream. Further, the regeneration of the media stream from the generated media streaming document can take place while the generated media streaming document is being updated during the live event transmission, and can take place after the completion of the live event. Such an online DVR application enables a client requesting the live stream to experience pausing or rewinding a “live” transmission.